Finding Nemo

[James Justice]

James sat back in the bar, letting his many, many finished drinks pile up. His competitor was a Zabrak who was quickly regretting his decision to challenge the champion of all drinking competitions ever. A female twe'lik was doting on the space admiral and all around dashing criminal as he put the nail in the coffin of the boy who had come to play shots.

James knocked his drink back with ease, the liquor burning down his throat in a satisfying feeling. The Zabrak tried--only to fall flat on his face unconsious. A roar went out of approval, loudest of all was the bartender who had made a pretty penny off the wager. James accepted his winnings from the droid who had been elected to hold the gamblings, 'Thank ye, mate!"

The Zabrak tried to shamble off, only to fall on his face.

"Ah, come now, mate, ye can do this," James said helping the poor uniformed fool to his feet and out the door.

His hand reached along the belt and clipped its security pass off. Why? He didn't know. He had a feeling he would need it soon. If only he knew it was the Force giving him a premonition for what was coming. Stuffing it in his pocket the spacer went back to the bar and paid both tabs. He was a scoundrel, but still a gentleman.

He grabbed another drink, this one paid for by a patron who had loved the show. Ah, yes, James thought taking a drink from it, some days it paid to be him quite well.

All to bad he was only mildly buzzed, even for him. Some days being half Zeltron with two livers was horrible.

 

[Darth Hashira]

Major Nimeni watched [member="James Justice"] easily beat his opponent. Quite impressive, even more so for someone his age. Nimeni was here, drinking his sorrows away for his dishonorable discharge that had occurred just days before. His rank had been stripped due to his failure in a military operation, he had gotten most of the soldiers in his command killed or maimed. He chugged liquor after liquor after liquor in order to forget his failure. He had always preferred naval combat, but he had been transferred to a ground combat major without his approval. One of his first mission, would be his last. He felt down and gripped his sword, one of the few things he had smuggled out before he was discharged. It was custom made and a one-of-a-kind. Rage came over him as he remember how they mocked him before he left, but it was quickly turned to fear when he saw the faces, the faces of the men that were killed under his command.

 

[James Justice]

James raised is arms wide, basking in the glory of his moment. Oh the man was middle aged, that was for sure, but he hadn't learned a thing. In so many ways he was more reckless than the teens and twenty-somethings that populated the globes of the galaxy. Drinking to the point where another being would have called it quits was just one of his many faults--and one the men under his command loved him for.

"Who wants to challenge the king?" he roared out loud.

A cacophony of cheers rose up, but there were no takers. Slightly despondent, the spacer hopped off the bar he was standing on and began moving through the congratulations and the cheers. A few minutes later the bar was back to normal and his fame was over. He spotted a man alone in the corner who was hitting the drinks pretty heavy. He had the air of a fellow man of the space lanes, and he was hitting the drinks alone.

His military bearing was a dead give away. The spacer plopped down next to him and waved, "His drinks on me, mate, keep em coming."

A keiger of ale was given to the spacer, he took a pull from it before slamming it down. His Zeltron Pheramones and latent force talent for persuasion swirling around him in a sweet, winsome vortex, "What's ye story mate?"

[member="Admiral Nimeni"]

 

[Darth Hashira]

Slightly surprised by the man's eagerness Nimeni was a bit shocked. ''A rather long one'' he said taking a gulp of the ale, the knowledge of his failed military career burned more than the ale ''One I'd rather not repeat.'' He reached into his jacket and felt the blaster he had concealed, ''Who is this man?'' he asked himself. ''What's yours?'' he asked taking yet another gulp. [member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James gave a jovial shrug, "Just having a night on the town, mate."

He offered his hand, 'Captain James Justice, owner of Justice Shipping, mate."

The spacer felt no need to explain who his company was and what it did. Their reputation preceded them since the fiasco at Roche and the Republic civil war.

When it had been shook, the spacer shoved his hand in his pocket and produced a pack of cigarettes, "These days I got more time and money than I be knowing what to do with so I go bar hoping looking for booze, stories, and babes. Been a wild ride so far, I tell ye. And it aint even over yet neither," he chuckled offering a cigarette before lighting his own, "I pity the fool who has to write me story down for the ages. If ye be between jobs or want a better pay, I always be looking to hire on new people on me crew. If ye ain't doing much, anyway."

[member="Admiral Nimeni"]

 

[Darth Hashira]

''My life doesn't seem like it's going anywhere, why not'' Nimeni would say, grabbing the offered cigarette and holding it out for a light. ''I'm a former Admiral, if you need transportation, any kind really...civilian, smuggling, even a frigate commanded...I'm your man, although I'd need a ship. I don't have bantha poodoo to my name. I'm renting a local apartment with the money I got from selling personal stuff, its got a mattress and that's it. Perhaps the universe's way of humbling me, I commanded my own vessel...now I can barely afford a bed to sleep on'' [member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James lit the cigarette he had offered. Sometimes kindness goes a long way, he had learned a while back. He was very much ok with that.

"Consider yeself hired," James said with a chuckle before activating his wrist datapad. He began typing quickly, the program his expect hackers had made for him kicked in, slicing through the local governmental firewalls like butter. He loved his toys, that was for sure. You never knew when something could come in handy, and when hiring the right person for the right job would pay off.

A ship, military, dry-docked for the moment popped up in a holographic display. James looked to [member="Admiral Nimeni"]. "Ye think ye can fly this thing?"

 

[Darth Hashira]

The former Admiral stared at the ship. ''I've flown bigger'' he said ''A ship that's a kilometer long...where are we going to get the crew to fly her?'' he asked puzzled. He puffed on his cigarette, it had been weeks since he had last had one.

He took a gulp of his brew and thought back to his glory days, the days he had thousands of men under him and countless more who feared him. Now he was nothing more than a crude, poor drunk who looked for work.

 

[James Justice]

James smiled and shrugged, "Ye will find I am the king of persuasion, I have no limit to what I can convince someone to do."

He stood and stretched his back and shoulders out. There was no time like the present, and James was nothing if not impetuous and spur of the moment. Plan? no, never. He had an idea, and they would improvise to implement, 'Come on then, let's go get 'er."

Wihtout another word the spacer began to walk an incredibly strait line for a drunk. Perhaps it was his years of practice, or perhaps it was that he had two livers, it was hard to tell but a few minutes later he was at the gate of the dry dock where the ship was located. He offered his pilfered datacard, "Mate I had a feeling this would come in handy, take us to 'er."

[member="Admiral Nimeni"]

 

[Darth Hashira]

Nimeni would hand the device back ''You probably know this town far better than I do, you take the lead'' Nimeni gripped his sword, waiting for whatever to jump out at him. He was ready to take back his former glory and once again sail the universe in the name of freeedom.

 

[James Justice]

James nodded and shrugged, "Suit yeself mate."

With a twist of his wrists the datacard went in and they were sauntering across the tarmac. A few guards passed by, James gave them a confident wave. They waved back. Acting like you blended in was better than any level of security slices, the spacer had learned so many years ago.

They trudged into the dry dock station, crossing several corridors, the datacard getting them through each. At last they reached the flight center. James stood in the door, gathering the attention of the five officers on deck. They looked at him angrily, but before they could speak the spacer spoke.

"This be what is gonna happen," the spacer said in a loud, clear commanding voice. His aura in the Force filled the room, commanding and demanding dominance. He had done this many times, and was very very good at it. "We are gonna get in that ship. Ye are gonna tell the crew to get on board. And then ye are gonna clear us to fly. Then when this is done, and we are out in space, each of ye will get 1.5 million credits wired to ye accounts. Clear?"

They nodded and gave affirmatives.

"Good, moving on."

James left the room and began storming towards their new vessel.

[member="Admiral Nimeni"]

 

[Darth Hashira]

Nimeni stayed close behind [member="James Justice"] ''You're that rich?'' Nimeni would almost scream . He threw the cigarette out of his mouth as it reached the end of it's small life. The Admiral grabbed his sword, preparing in case any of the officers would try to leave.

 

[James Justice]

James laughed, "Mate, ye have no idea how rich I be."

Those numbers were chunk change. With the amount of gambling that he could do in a day, that alone were winnings. Nevermind that it wasn't legit gambling and was more like taking candy from babies. He was a man with few equals, besides, he had no intention on actually paying this debt. He was a freaking criminal and this was a freaking heist. It was not a legit heist if you paid anything for it.

The spacer led him up the halls and up through the access tunnel. They blended in with the crew that was moving in to man the ship and its stations. He gave a chuckle under his breath as they were quickly at the bridge the various officers were moving to fulfill their roles, getting plugged into their stations, setting up preflight checks, and the like.

"Everyone listen up," James shouted, "I be special agent Justice, this is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill, we are making an emergency launch, the captain here will now be giving ye orders, pay attention and stand by."

Sometimes, all it took was a little confidence to make a lie work.

[member="Admiral Nimeni"]